


The Evening Ritual

by hellofavillain



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Fluff, High Warlock of Alicante Magnus, Inquisitor Alec, Loving Husbands, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2020-03-13 05:40:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18934591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hellofavillain/pseuds/hellofavillain
Summary: Getting Magnus away from his work could be tricky, so Alec had learned to be smart about it.





	The Evening Ritual

“I’m home!” Alec called as soon as he stepped into the apartment, putting his briefcase down on the table. _Their apartment_ , he thought, not being able to stop the smile forming on his face. It had been over a year now, but he still couldn’t believe how far they had come. It wasn’t easy, of course, but they'd earned it.

His job as the Inquisitor was more demanding and he had much more responsibility than ever before, but he wouldn’t go back if he had a choice. He wanted to be the change in this world and the position helped a lot. He knew he couldn’t achieve everything overnight, but he would still try his best, especially with Magnus by his side.

“In here!” he heard the answer just when he started to wonder where Magnus was. The voice seemed to come from his apothecary, which traveled with Magnus all the way from Brooklyn. They kept the loft to have a place to stay when they visited everyone in New York, which they tried to do quite often as Alec liked to check on his siblings. He knew Izzy was doing a great job as the Head of the Institute and he was extremely proud of her; Jace matured a lot after everything that happened as well, but Alec couldn’t help his brotherly instincts telling him to check if they were alright.

Clary was the other reason, but he wouldn’t admit that to anyone but Magnus. They checked on her as well, to see if she was happy and had everything that she needed. Sometimes they would show up at one of her exhibitions in a disguise and buy a few of her paintings. Izzy and Jace would probably tease him mercilessly if they knew that he actually liked this part; playing mysterious rich husbands with Magnus was fun. And even after their rough beginnings, Clary was like a second younger sister to him. He would never abandon his family.

He took off his jacket, throwing it on the couch, and walked further to find Magnus. Alec loved this place. He loved the loft too, of course, but this was the first apartment they had chosen together. They discussed it, they decorated it, and they put their hearts into it. It was not only a place, but a home Alec was always dreaming of.

He smirked at the memory of the very few Clave members trying to mention the rules and customs of how the Inquisitor should live. But by that point, he and Magnus couldn’t care less about traditions; they were creating new ones, together with the new position of the High Warlock of Alicante. Some traditions were good, some needed to change, and this time Alec wouldn’t back down; he would hold his ground. There were enough mistakes made in the past.

As he stepped into the apothecary with a soft knock on the door, he saw Magnus sitting by his desk, slouched over his notebook. He was rubbing his neck, looking quite tired and tense.

Alec sighed. On one hand Magnus blossomed with the new position and the possibilities it gave him, but on the other hand, sometimes he didn’t know when to stop. It seemed like he was still afraid to take his magic for granted and wanted to use it as much as he could, at all times. Even though Magnus was doing much better now, it was the fear he had yet to overcome. Alec wanted to curse Asmodeus once again, although there was nothing he could do except simply being there for Magnus.

“Hi,” he walked up to him and kissed him on his cheek, getting a pleased hum in response. 

“How is my husband doing?” he asked, not even fighting the smile on his face this time. They were married.

Magnus put down the pen he was holding in his hand and leaned back to rest his head on Alec’s stomach.

“Now I’m good,” he murmured and closed his eyes as Alec started to run his fingers through Magnus’ hair.

“But tired?”

Getting Magnus away from his work could be tricky, so Alec had learned to be smart about it. This day called for their evening ritual which they did once in a while. Magnus probably wasn’t even aware there was any ritual at all, but Alec liked to take the time to pamper his husband, even if he couldn’t do it every day.

After a while of not getting an answer, he stilled his hands and poked Magnus softly on his shoulder.

“Come on, you will fall asleep if you stay here any longer, it’s time for a break,” he said. Magnus just looked up to him with a little pout.

“Alexander, you know I should finish…”

“I’ll start the bath running,” Alec interrupted, knowing he was playing dirty, already on his way out of the room before Magnus could put more of a fight. That’s how they were sometimes. Magnus knew when to step in when Alec started to slip into his self-harm tendencies and Alec knew when Magnus needed a break before he could spiral back into his fears and depressive thoughts.

_  


A big bathroom with both a shower and a bathtub was something they agreed pretty early on. After experiencing the sweet feeling of immersing into the hot water Alec could never go back to the cold Institute showers. They were too small for his tall frame anyway.

He set the lights on the lower setting and lit a candle standing on the cabinet; it smelled of sandalwood, its calm and steady presence improving the mood immediately.

As the bathtub started to fill with warm water, Alec quickly went back to the kitchen to grab some lemonade they made this morning, deciding against an alcoholic drink tonight. After learning it the hard way when Magnus was without his magic, Alec started to be careful and tried to not reach for alcohol every time; there were other, just as effective ways to get rid of the tension.

When he got back to the bathroom with two glasses in his hands, his mind was already set on another task; he needed to mix the bath salt with essential oil. He made the mistake of just adding the oil straight into the water when he wanted to surprise Magnus with a hot bath for the first time; unfortunately, it didn’t end up being perfect, the oil just floating around in a sad clump on the surface.

By now he had learned though and he liked to think he got quite good at it. He also had a clear idea of he wanted to use tonight - a ylang ylang oil made from fresh flowers of cananga tree. It was one of his favorites, even though he could be biased as Magnus was the one to introduce it to him. Of course, using it always had a relaxing and calming effect on both of them but there was more to it.

The first time he saw ylang ylang flowers was on their honeymoon in Indonesia; it turned out it was a local custom to put their petals on the bed of the newlywed couple and Magnus had surprised him, putting the beautiful yellow flowers behind his ear.

In the past, Alec had never believed it could be that easy to let go of all the expectations the world had for him, but at this moment, when he looked at Magnus grinning widely with flowers and wind in his hair, wearing just a loose, white kurta while the sun was making him glow even more, there was nothing else that mattered. Alec still wasn’t sure how the world could survive a beauty like this.

Later, Magnus would tell him more about it; about the ylang ylang being an aphrodisiac, how it was used in the essential form. Alec was sure Magnus alone was like an aphrodisiac to him anyway; with the smell of his magic mixed with the sandalwood scent he loved so much.

Lost in his memories, Alec didn’t even notice Magnus coming into the bathroom until he felt a familiar body hugging him from behind and a cold nose nuzzling into his neck.

“It almost looks like you are making a potion,” he teased him softly and Alec huffed, turning his head to place a kiss on Magnus’ forehead.

“You know it’s just salt and oil,” he rolled his eyes playfully.

“It still feels like magic when you’re preparing our bath,” Magnus murmured, tightening his hold as Alec came back to work. When he was satisfied with the mixture, he turned around to pull Magnus close into his chest.

“I don’t want to move,” his husband groaned, making Alec smile even more.

“So you finally admit you’re tired?”

“It’s your fault, you made me aware of it,” Magnus responded with an adorable pout on his face. How was it possible to be this cute? Alec still hasn’t found the answer.

“I need to turn off the water and we should take off your makeup first,” he chuckled, gesturing Magnus to sit down on the counter which he did begrudgingly.

Alec stopped the water and carefully poured the mixture into the bath; then he reached for the cotton pads and the bottle with makeup remover. After getting back his magic and moving to Alicante, Magnus started experimenting with his looks once again and Alec couldn’t be happier. Today his eyelids were covered in blues, purples, and pinks, immediately making Alec think of the colors of the bisexual flag. It was smart; most of the Shadowhunters here probably weren’t aware of the colors having any meaning at all.

Even though it definitely wasn’t the first time he was removing his makeup, he still thought of as an honor; Magnus was allowing him to see his true self; not because he was sick or without magic, but because he trusted him. And he was so, so beautiful. With and without makeup, Magnus would always take his breath away.

“You can take off your clothes now and get into the bath,” he said, delicately taking care of the last black strands of eyeliner, careful to not poke Magnus’ eyes.

“You’re such a flirt, Alexander, you could start with that if you wanted to get me naked,” Magnus answered with amusement in his voice, undoing the buttons of his shirt nonetheless. At the beginning of their relationship, Alec would blush at his words, but now all the felt was the overwhelming love.

As Magnus lowered himself into the hot water with a pleased groan, Alec started to take off his clothes as well to sit behind him, and pull him against his chest.

“Do you feel good now?” he asked, placing a tender kiss on Magnus’ neck.

“The best,” Magnus said, almost purring like a cat and Alec smiled. Sometimes his husband was exactly like a cat; he loved to be warm and comfortable and he would get irritated when hungry.

After giving them a moment to just simply soak in water, Alec reached for a bottle of massage oil, Magnus’ original blend which never got greasy and smelled amazing.

“Lean forward a bit,” he murmured, pushing Magnus a little.

“A massage? You’re spoiling me today,” Magnus said, going along with Alec’s directions.

“It’s the least I can do for you, you are working too hard sometimes.”

Alec wished he could be there more for Magnus. They lived together, but with their hectic schedules, they didn’t always get to spend a lot of time together. He wanted to change that in the future but he knew that first, they needed to establish their power in the new positions they held. There was still so much to do but for now, he wanted to forget about everything and focus on the soft skin under his hands.

“I’m not-“ Magnus started to defend himself but he didn’t even get to finish the sentence as his own moan interrupted it when Alec started to work on a particularly tight knot in his neck. Alec’s body wanted to respond to this sweet sound but he kept himself in line; this moment was about Magnus.

“Were you saying something?” he asked instead, amused.

“Fine, maybe I overdid it today,” Magnus grunted and Alec was sure he would glare at him if he could turn around. “I just... I don’t want to let anyone down, you know? Fitting everyone in my schedule is a hassle sometimes, but I’m the first one to be in this position and…” Magnus sighed, finally dropping the act and sounding more honest.

“And you’re doing amazing, everyone can see that,” Alec said confidently. “You’re the most powerful warlock I know and no one would be better for this. I say it objectively, not just as your husband,” he added and Magnus snorted. “And you’re the one who taught me to take a break sometimes.”

“Maybe you’re right…” Magnus responded, completely pliant under his hands, finally starting to let go.

“Of course I am. Come on, let’s wash your hair,” Alec said, reaching for the towel to take off the rest of the massage oil from his hands and getting the bottle of their sandalwood shampoo.

After that, they stayed in the warm water for a bit longer, with the magic keeping their bathtub on the right temperature. When they finally got out, Magnus put on his robe and sat on the counter while Alec carefully combed his hair, adding a little drop of silk to make it smoother. Peaceful moments like this were his favorite.

_

Alec came back to their bedroom from the kitchen just in time to see Magnus taking off his robe and throwing it on the floor as usual; he was doing with a lot of things that weren’t needed anymore. He had nothing underneath and even though they were just in the bath a few moments earlier, completely naked, Alec’s heartbeat still got faster.

Magnus’ body was like the finest art; his skin soft and darker than his own, still flushed from the warmth. His muscles bulging deliciously as he lied down and stretched shamelessly on their silky gold sheets, making Alec’s blood go south.

If there were any pluses of his siblings being away, this was definitely one of them. They finally could sleep naked as much as they wanted to, without worrying that someone would barge in at random times.

Thanking the world for being blessed with the most beautiful husband, Alec took off his own robe and went straight to the bed, getting on the top of Magnus as fast as he could.

“Hi,” he said softly, bracketing him between his arms.

“Hello,” Magnus answered with the amused glint in his eyes and Alec couldn’t wait any longer, lowering himself to kiss him, whimpering at the moment when their bodies finally touched.

Their kiss started slowly, as they still felt lazy after the bath and couldn’t stop smiling, but it wasn’t long before it got heated when Magnus opened his mouth and slid his fingers between Alec’s hair, deepening the kiss and pulling him even closer. It made Alec feel very much aware that he was getting hard. He could never get enough of Magnus, of the way he tasted and of the little noises he was making when his mouth went down to his neck. It was like music to his ears.

“Alec-“ Magnus groaned, breathing heavily and squirming under the kisses as his neck was sensitive.

“Relax,” Alec whispered into his ear, making him shiver. Making Magnus feel good and forget about everything was his goal tonight after all.

With that in mind, his mouth started to wander lower and lower, his tongue stopping at Magnus’ nipple, biting it softly to which Magnus responded with a low moan. Not wanting to neglect the other one, he started to circle it with his finger; it seemed to be the breaking point for Magnus who started to grind against him, looking for friction. It made Alec not only painfully hard but also extremely motivated.

He went even lower, placing little kisses all around Magnus’ stomach, this time drawing a chuckle from him as well. He smiled against the soft skin; this is what he learned with Magnus, sex should be fun too.

“Stop teasing,” Magnus whined, trying to smite Alec faintly with his hand.

“Someone is getting impatient,” Alec said mischievously, looking up at Magnus and grinning at the view; it seemed that Magnus couldn’t decide between laughing and pouting but in reality he already looked worn out, making Alec focused once again as his body started to respond as well, desperate for release.

Without waiting too long, he lowered himself and faced Magnus’ cock; it was hard and beautiful, making him salivate. Alec gave Magnus an experimental lick, while he put his fingers into Alec’s hair once again, scratching his head at the same time. Alec wanted to purr from pleasure; he loved teasing Magnus, but his husband knew what he liked best as well.

After getting a taste, he went one step further, taking the head in his mouth and circling it with his tongue, his hand reaching to touch Magnus under his shaft and tease his balls.

As Magnus started squirming and pulling harder on his hair, he took him deeper; he wanted Magnus to let go and thrust into his throat. Magnus would try to be slow and careful at first, but Alec knew that later he would get lost in the feeling. Alec couldn’t complain, loving it as well, grinding his own length into the covers.

They both wouldn’t last long, Alec thought briefly, as they were too tired and wound up. He wasn’t surprised when Magnus’ movements started to be more frantic and he started to pull harder. Alec tried to keep his throat loose, breathing through his nose until Magnus finally stilled with “Oh god, Alec,” on his tongue, coming hard into his mouth. Alec swallowed it all, loving every drop of it.

Magnus usually called him Alexander, but there was something about this short, moaned Alec when Magnus was too out of it to even use his full name; it meant he did a good job. 

With last one lick, he lifted himself up, breathing heavily, still painfully hard and leaking. Magnus looked debauched; his chest was heaving as well and when Alec met his eyes he could see the liquid gold looking back at him. It was the most beautiful sight of them all and the fact that it was Alec who did it to him and that Magnus trusted him with this was something he would always cherish.

Magnus blinked and smiled at him, before saying in a raspy voice: “Come here.”

And who Alec was to refuse a request like this? As soon as Magnus kissed him and his hand started to stroke his cock, he was gone; it wasn’t long before he was coming, moaning Magnus’ name as he fell next to him on the bed.

Magnus snapped his fingers to clean up the mess and Alec didn’t even have the strength to argue, just wanting to cuddle up and pull Magnus into his arms. Magnus seemed to have the same idea as he snuggled closer, putting his head on Alec’s chest and kissing the spot softly.

“Thank you,” he said quietly before his breathing started to even out.

“Everything for you,” Alec answered in a whisper, placing a kiss on his forehead.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by the thought of Alec combing Magnus' hair and it kinda got bigger than that, I hope you liked it!
> 
> As always, the biggest thanks to mansikka for proof-reading ♥


End file.
